DP World Tour. Ras Al Khaimah final Results
Ryan Fox claimed his second DP World Tour victory as he eased to a five-shot win at 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Classic.
The Kiwi, looking every inch like his famous All Black fly half father Grant, had turned a two-shot first-round lead into a three-shot advantage at the midway point and he doubled that heading into day four at Al Hamra Golf Club.
He saw the gap trimmed to two just after the turn as Pablo Larrazábal made a move but Fox signed for a 69 that moved him to 22 under and gave him an ultimately comfortable victory, worth nearly $400,000 cdn.
England's Ross Fisher finished alone in second, a shot clear of Spaniard Larrazábal, South African Zander Lombard and German Hurly Long.
Fox's victory is his first in a 72-hole stroke play event on the DP World Tour having claimed the 2019 ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth title to go with two European Challenge Tour victories.
He becomes the second wire-to-wire winner of the 2022 season after Thriston Lawrence, with the South African lifting the trophy at the weather-affected 36-hole Joburg Open.
The last wire-to-wire winner over 72 holes was Nacho Elvira at the 2021 Cazoo Open supported by Gareth Bale and the last Kiwi to achieve the feat was Michael Campbell at the 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic, which was played in November 1999.
"It was a bit of a struggle today," said the two-time Olympian who now moves into the top ten on DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex. "Sleeping on a six-shot lead I did not sleep very well last night and obviously a couple of guys came at me early.
"I was a bit nervous and had that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach all day but I'm very happy with how I played. I hit a couple of great shots coming down the stretch and it was certainly nice walking up the last with my putter in my hand knowing I had six putts for it."
Fox's daughter Isabel was born in December 2020 and the 35-year-old could not wait to get home and see her - after spending ten days in hotel quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"I was definitely thinking about the family coming down the last couple of holes, it's pretty big for them," he added. "They've got to come over to London every year and it's a little bit harder with a little one now and this win makes it a little bit easier for them to do that.
"I'm a bit disappointed that I missed her walking and I've got ten days in a hotel when I get home to think about that as well and I'm very much looking forward to seeing them when I get out late February."
Long was bogey-free as he matched his lowest ever DP World Tour round - posted over this layout last week - with a 64, while Lombard dropped a single shot in a 65.
Japan's Masahiro Kawamura, Pole Adrian Meronk and Scot Connor Syme finished at 15 under, a shot clear of a group of 11 players.
Bryan Angus (europeantour.com)
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